Lakeside United Methodist Church

One of the top reasons people have left the Church or avoid it in the first place is that they feel the Church talks too much about money and giving. So today, we are going to talk about money and giving…   Based on the book Because of This I Rejoice by Max O. Vincent

Phillippians 3 This week we will be looking how we can joyfully practice the discipline of self-denial not as a way to earn favor with God as a way to gain greater awareness of God working in us.   *Based on the book by Max O. Vincent

Phillippians 1:27-2:18 The incredible irony of practicing humility as a spiritual discipline is that, in looking to serve others and put them ahead of ourselves, it actually draws attention. And when done with the right spirit, humility and unity within a Christian community point to the ultimate expression of humility: Christ's willingness to go through death out of love for us. *Based on a book...

Phillippians 1:12-26 New research reveals nearly all Christians agree that coming to know Jesus is the best thing that could happen to someone. And nearly all Christians also agree that sharing the Gospel is part of faith in Jesus. And yet so many Christians are terrified of sharing the good news! This week we tackle the challenge of joyful witness. *Based on Because of This I Rejoice by Max O. Vi...

Phillippians 1:1-11 Take a bath, brush your teeth, say your prayers, go to bed. This is a routine children dread, as it means the day of fun and play is over. As we look at our own prayer lives today, do we still dread it and see it as a chore? Or is it something we can joyfully practice each day? Based on Because of This I Rejoice by Max O. Vincent

Luke 9: 28-36 The Transfiguration is one of the most significant moments in Jesus' earthy life, and the disciples almost slept through it. But Luke tell us that "since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory." May it be so with us as well. *please note that due to technical difficulties, the podcast recording did not start at the beginning of the sermon.   

Luke 6:27-38 Two different Gospel writers with two different audiences and two different goals give us their take on some of Jesus' most famous teachings. So, what's the difference? Funny you should ask, because Jesus has the same question!

Jeremiah 31:23-31, Mark 11:12-23 What do yoga, brunch, and tattoos have to do with Jesus and the fig tree? Find out with a message of hope in the face of church decline and generational change. Be a part of the next reformation in the Christian story.

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-46 What comes to mind when you think of the Kingdom of God? Do you see visions of large buildings, beautiful art, and grand displays of God's glory? Or do you think of something much, much smaller?

Matthew 13:1-9 A farmer goes out to spread seeds, and they fall on four different types of soil which produce four different results. A common response to this parable is to think about how condition of the soil in our lives and how it affects the growth of what God is planting in our lives. But what if that's not what Jesus wanted us to focus on?

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 We have focused our perspective, aligned our posture, and explored the pathway to a deep life. Now, we must wrestle with the question: what is it all for?

Philippians 4:8-9 In so many areas of life, it can feel like we are measured by our output. But what if the true deep life was better measured not by what comes out but by what goes in?

Proverbs 11:3-8 (The Message) Competency is a tool with which we can make an impact, but it is our character that guides what we do with that tool. Working on our character, alongside our competency, aligns us with God's intentions, leading us into the deep life God has for us.

Psalm 73:1-5, 16-18 A major temptation we face in today's world is to focus on the timely, trying to keep up with everything as it is happening. But when we realign our perspective toward the timeless, we lay the foundation for living deeply.

Fifty years ago, the astronauts aboard Apollo 8 travelled almost a quarter of a million miles to study the moon, and they ended up discovering something far more important—the Earth. By shifting our perspective, this historic mission and the birth of Christ allow us to see our world and the love of God in a new way.

John 1:1-5, 9-14 One of these Gospels is not like the other… While Matthew, Mark, and Luke offer us Advent and Christmas narratives we might recognize, John tells us a Christmas story that is all but impossible to recreate with inflatables in your yard.

The Gospel of Luke offers a Christmas extravaganza! Angels and shepherds, prophecies and songs, miracles and glory shining bright! But within this big, bold production lies a smaller yet no-less-important story of faithfulness.

Mark 1: 1-8 In a world where everything is moving at a blistering pace, Christmastime often cranks things up to 11. Mark, the writer of arguably the fastest paced Gospel, starts his book with John the Baptist's call to prepare the way for the Lord. Advent's interruption of the space-time continuum reminds us to do just that - to step out of the hurry and prepare.

Acts 15:36-39, 2 Timothy 4:11 The Bible doesn't record a single word that Barnabas said, but his influence on the early church and the New Testament is indelible. By actively working to identify and develop potential in others, he made an exponential impact far beyond what he could have accomplished on his own.

It is impossible to develop leadership in others without giving them the opportunity to lead. This means sharing responsibility and taking a step back so others can step up. We can make an impact with our own leadership, but in order to have exponential impact, we need to be in the habit of launching leaders.

Acts 11: 19-26 No matter how much natural leadership talent we have, it needs to be developed. And for many of us, it took someone seeing the potential in us before that development could begin. The first key to having exponential impact is perceiving the potential in others.

John 17:20-23 We are 48 hours away from another election. And the second that one is over, the next one begins. The divisions that drive us away from one another feel as though they have become permanent. But what if there were a way to reclaim unity without needing to prove who is right and who is wrong?

Matthew 6: 24-33 We are made in the image of a generous God who has blessed us with a world of abundance. Today, we explore how to respond in a way that is faithful both to God as well as ourselves and those that rely on us.   Link to song during prayer time:  https://youtu.be/EroMEqTP6L8

Romans 12:1-2 Do we live in a world of scarcity or a world of abundance? Our answer to this question has a profound impact on how we live our lives and interact with one another.

John 3:16 Central to God's character is love, and the Bible tells us over and over again that proof of that love is found in God's generosity. A first step toward generosity in our own lives is to be reminded of just how much God has given us.